Craigs Hut Area info

Short answers -
1. yes, we were up there last weekend, and there's plenty of access for trailers. Most of the tracks are easy.
2. There are lots of great looking camp sites in the area. We saw lots between Craigs Hut and Pike's Flat. Pike's Flat was the biggest and nicest of the lot.
3. 3 or 4 hours I guess, depending on which way you go. We went up Plenty Rd to Whittlesea and on to Yea, Mansfield, Buller. From the Western suburbs took a bit longer.
4. Not sure what you mean. My mate has map files that he put on Ozi Explorer - I think you can buy them from map shops. I don't have any.

Very nice area up there - for camping at least. Last weekend was positively crawling with vehicles, and decent 4WD tracks seem to be non-existent, but it's a nice place to camp. Enjoy your trip.

Just spent 3 days up there this weekend.. Lead a Novice club trip with 9 cars, inc a Pathy.. Bog stock with BFG AT's. it really shocked me where it went, no probs with Montgomerys track, which was chewed tobleepat the top not that its really hard, but this was HER (YES CHICKY DRIVING) first time up there... Was really slippery and slimy with the rain, water flowing down most tracks in a good rush..

LOTS OF DEEP WATER FLOWING FAST UP THERE AROUND KINGS HUT. 6 crossings if I remember, deepest was over the steps of the GQ, the pathy ran a blind thru there..

I thermoed 2 headlights :'(

Mt Stirling is closed until 30th of Nov, and maybe longer.. I wanted to do it todaym, but theres a 6ftx6ft big ass green sign warning you of the $2500 fine if you do... Call parks and ask them.

Many camping spots up there, that would take a camper or maybe 2... we actually stayed in Craigs Hut last night, but the pot belly stove in there was useless. Kings Hut is good to stay at only 15-25 from Craigs.. there is one creek crossing to negotiate on the way there, today it was deep enough to flood a stock GQ on 31's that stalled in it. (under the doors)

From Lilydale 3 hours to Sheepyard flat. With stop in Mansfield.

We started at Sheepyard, and went to frys, and on from there following the maps.. but the weather was really chit, we even had snow....

I have an ozi of the area. Buy yourself the HUTS OF THE HIGH COUNTRY map, thats ALL you need.

Yell if ya want anything, I think you still got me mob# if not Rohan has it.

HTH

Take a look at your messages - I'll send you some files.

We were up in that area for Cup W/E until the Monday - It started raining on the Monday

Unlike Truckster we found the area pretty tame for tracks incuding the river crossings near King Hut - we had a terrican with us which had no real trouble (minor panel beating required to bash plates, if you can call them that *grin*) He's getting a lift - The river is obviously up higher now (ref Trucksters post) due to the rain and the tracks are probably a bit more tricky. So what is good one trip can be pretty different the next depending on the weather. (At the risk of stating the obvious)

Plenty of fantastic camping spots particulary around King Hut. Also went past Pikes Flat which I thought was one of the best camping spots I'd seen up there - heaps of room for large group.

The other thing we found was that our maps (Vicmaps - 1:50,000) are way out of date. Too many tracks have been deleted to make them reliable.

A good camper trailer should be fine. We had 3 of them in our group. We came across one group trying to get theirs up King Hut Track which was a bit too much to ask - but apart from that - most of the tracks are accessable with a good trailer. We even saw a Coromal Caravan at King Hut so that says something about accessibility.

Although we thought it was pretty tame - this was significantly compensated for by the fantastic scenery. The fabulous views, waterfalls, lakes & rivers etc.. are just seriously good. After 3 weeks in the outback (which was an equally if not better experience for different reasons) the Vic high country is an amazing contrast.

We are certainly lucky to have it in our back yard.

Gaz